JUvenile

delinquency
-MEETEILEIMA KHUMUKCHAM
                                            CONTENT
❖ DEFINITION
❖ THEORIES
❖ RISK FACTORS
❖ PREVENTION
 01.
definition
DEFINITION
Juvenile Delinquency is the
unlawful conduct by minors i.e.,
children under the age of 18, for
which there are penalties. 
Juvenile
delinquency
● gateway to adult crime
● topic of great concern
● statistics show that crime is on
increasing path
● theft and robbery contribute highest
percentage
● other crimes include murder, rape,
burglary, kidnapping, etc
 02. theories
● Psychological theory
● Sociological theory
● Economic theory
● Labeling theory
● JD as a male phenomenon
Psychological theories
1. Social learning theory- Albert Bandura, 1977 
❖ learning by modeling and imitating
❖ frequent exposure instill a belief that aggressive behavior is acceptable
❖ e.g. friends fighting, parents arguing, violence on tv and other media,
violent music
  2.  Behavioral theory- BF skinner, 1953
❖ learning through consequences they receive as a result of their behavior
❖ environment shapes behavior as children identify aspects as painful or
pleasing
❖ praise instead of punishment of delinquent acts leads to increase in such
behavior
3. Psychodynamic theory- S. Freud, 1925 4. Psychopathy
❖ Freud didn’t specifically write about ❖ matches most explicitly with the
delinquency thinking patterns and
❖ criminologists took ideas from his theory personality of individuals
and formulated below points involved in JD
❖ personality is constituted by id, ego, ❖ characteristics read like a
superego blueprint for JD
❖ in mentally healthy children, all three parts ❖ Impulsive, emotionally cold,
work together short- tempered, arrogant,
❖ when parts are in conflict, children become dominant, irresponsible,
maladjusted and ready for delinquency manipulative, violates social
norms without guilt
Sociological theories
1. Differential association- Edwin Sutherland, 1947
❖ motivated to commit crimes and learn criminal skills from delinquent peers
and role models
❖ tendency is highly dependent on the degree of respect one has toward the
role model (parents, associate, etc.)
❖ e.g. an officer won’t commit crimes despite the +ve things inmates say
about the criminal life because the officer doesn’t respect the inmate and
hence won’t adopt the beliefs, attitudes and values of a criminal
  2.   Social control theory - Thomas Hobbes, 17th century
❖ JD is an expected behavior as humans are naturally aggressive to attain what
they want
❖ theory focuses on why a juvenile WON’T participate in delinquency 

3. Social disorganisation theory-
C. Shaw & H. McKay, 1942
❖ theory states that criminal behavior is
determined by social factors outside
of the child’s control
❖ a child raised low socio
-economic, high delinquency area is
exposed to criminal activities daily
❖ successful criminals pass on their
knowledge and it becomes a tradition
❖ eventually it becomes a full-time
career
4. Social bond theory- T. Hirschi
❖ a person’s connection to their
society determines the tendency to
commit JD
❖ child’s attachment to parents,
school and peers are primary
agents to socialisation
❖ Positive relation with parents
would lower the chances as the
behaviour could jeopardize their
parents’ affection
❖ belief in the moral validity of law
also reduces the tendency
Economic theory ( also called classical theory)
Rational Choice Theory.
❖ people evaluate the pros and cons of committing a crime
❖ when pros outweigh, crimes are more likely to be committed
❖ juveniles are rational, intelligent people who have free will to make choices
❖ since behaviour is a conscious decision, they may be held responsible for
their choices and the consequences
 Labeling theory JD : a male
❖ the idea of masculinity makes young
❖ young people labelled as ‘deviant’
accept the role and are more likely phenomenon
men more vulnerable to commit crime
❖ society believes that masculine qualities
to associate with others who have
include being tough, powerful, daring,
been similarly labelled aggressive, competitive and dominating
❖ theorists say that male children from ❖ acting out these ideals would be
poor families are more likely to be antisocial and criminal behaviour
labeled deviant; this explains why ❖ A study suggests that adolescent men
there are more lower-class young who possess a certain type of variation
male offenders in specific gene: 10- repeat allele of the
dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) are
more likely to commit crimes.
03. RISK
FACTORS
 04. Crime
PRevention
programmes
Individual programme Environmental programme
Individual programme involves the prevention of Environmental programme aims of changing the
delinquency through counselling, psychotherapy socioeconomic conditions which are likely
and proper education. responsible for promoting delinquency

❖ Clinical programme ❖ Community programmes

❖ Educational curriculum and activities
❖ Mental hygiene
❖ Parent education
❖ Recreational programmes
❖ Removal of inferiority complex
❖ Publication/publicity
❖ Parental love, care and affection
❖ Family affection
RESOURCES
https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/crime/juvenile-delinquency/3/

https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Juvenile_delinquency

https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/145628/8/08_chapter4.pdf

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/what-is-juvenile-delinquency.html
THANK
you!!
Do you have any questions?

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